The LightSound Project: A Tool to Experience Solar Eclipses with Sound

The LightSound Project delivered 900 solar eclipse sonification devices, called LightSounds, to communities hosting solar eclipse events, allowing the blind and low-vision community to experience solar eclipses with sound. The device converts light to sound using an on-board light sensor and MIDI board to assign the light intensity values to instruments. The project is completely open source, with all instructions to build and use the device available online in English, Spanish, and French. To engage the public and help achieve the goal of constructing hundreds of devices, the LightSound Project ran several workshops across the country. Participants learned to solder while assembling the LightSound devices. The finished products were donated across North America to libraries, schools, museums, community events, National and State Parks, etc., hosting eclipse events. The LightSound Project received over 2500 requests — three times more than the number of devices built. To reach as many people as possible, the LightSound Project partnered with the American Council for the Blind to host a live stream of the LightSound devices along the path of totality. Over 2500 people listened to the event live, and the recording is available post-eclipse. The LightSound Project is now working to collect data, videos, photos, and stories, which will be made public for educators. The LightSound Project is also beginning to connect with other countries in the path of future eclipses to share the model of the project.